Inspired by Neil Simon's early career
experience as a junior jokesmith for
“Your Show of Shows”,
the play focuses on Sid Caesar/Jackie Gleason-like Max Prince, the
star of a weekly comedy-variety show circa 1953. The staff
includes Simon's alter-ego Lucas Brickman, who maintains a running
commentary on the writing, fighting, and wacky antics which take
place in the writers' room.
At the plot's core is Max's ongoing battles
with NBC executives who fear his humor is too sophisticated for
Middle America.
Why the 23rd Floor? According to Simon, Sid
Caesar's writers on held their script sessions at various times on
the eleventh and the twelfth floors of an NBC-TV office building;
Simon added those numbers together to put his fictional cast on the
23rd floor.
The Directors would like to thank
everyone who came out to audition. You made things
exceptionally difficult on us and for that we are thankful.
It gave us an opportunity to really try a bunch of different
angles to come up with all the pieces of this puzzle. We
truly hope that you will consider helping us in other ways
as we go forward with this production. Thank you."
The cast:
Lucas - Alexander Rich
Milt - Darren Dirk
Val - George Nixon
Brian - Morgan Filbert
Kenny - Tim Novotny
Carol - Bobbi Wilson
Helen - Michelle Brown
Ira - Jeff Roberts
Max - Byrell Justice
Laughter opened January 22, 2010, and ran
through February 6th (Closing Saturday night to avoid conflict with
the Super Bowl).
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